July 21, 2011

New research from Harvard U says that counting calories is not the best approach for weight loss. The decades-long study followed 120,877 healthy weight men and women who completed detailed questionnaires about their eating and lifestyle habits every two years. Researchers conclude that, while physical activity had definite weight control benefits, the kinds of foods consumed had a larger effect on weight. Not surprisingly, fried and fatty foods contributed to the greatest weight gain with French fries leading the list that included potato chips, sugary drinks, red and processed meats, refined grains and sweets. Fruits, vegetables and whole grains contributed to weight loss or no gains. Dairy had no effect on weight but metabolism slowed with the consumption of refined grains.

Taller women face a greater risk of developing one of several different cancers, find researchers in the UK. The study, published in Lancet, reveals that the risk of cancer increased by around 16 percent for each 4 inches of increased height. CNN reports that the study involved 1.3 million middle-aged women in the UK. Oxford University researchers claim that the tallest group of women (5 feet 9 inches or taller) were 37 percent more likely to develop cancer compared with the group of women 5 feet and shorter. The finding held true regardless of age, BMI, physical activity and socioeconomic status. The tallest women faced the most increased risk for the following cancers: non-Hodgkin lymphoma, endometrial, kidney, central nervous system, colon, malignant melanoma, breast, and leukemia.

Researchers at John Hopkins University discovered that the epilepsy drug levetiracetam improved brain and memory function of those with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), an early indicator of Alzheimer's. During the placebo phase, brain scans revealed that the hippocampus of those with aMCI was more active while doing a memory task compared to those without it. Two weeks of levetiracetam brought both the activity and memory function on par with healthy participants. Previous studies demonstrated that this same brain activity plus aMCI is strongly linked to an greater drop in memory and risk of Alzheimer's. Researchers want to determine if curtailing this activity would slow the progression from aMCI to Alzheimer's.